A popular restaurant in Buenos Aires is staffed almost entirely by workers with neurological challenges, tapping into often-overlooked talent and harnessing their skills.
The staff of the Alamesa restaurant posed for a group photo in the kitchen after the first service during the grand opening in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
On Friday evening, a man ploughed a car into a crowd of shoppers at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg.
The attack has left five people dead and more than 200 injured, with many in a critical condition.
One man has been arrested over the attack, and police believe he was solely responsible.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz travelled to Magdeburg on Saturday, and a city councillor declared Christmas over for the city.
How did the attack unfold?
Unverified footage on social media showed a black BMW travelling at high speeds through the pedestrian walkway between Christmas stalls.
Eyewitnesses described jumping out of the car's path, fleeing or hiding. One told the Reuters news agency that police were already at the venue and chased after the car before arresting the suspect.
Footage from verified sources showed armed police confronting and arresting a man who can be seen lying on the ground next to a stationary vehicle - a black BMW with significant damage to its front bumper.
BBC correspondent Damien McGuinness in Magdeburg reported that the market is "surrounded by concrete blocks". However, "there is a gap which is wide enough for pedestrians to go through, but tragically wide enough for a car to go into the Christmas market", he said.
City officials said around 100 police, medics and firefighters, as well as 50 rescue service personnel rushed to the scene in the aftermath of the attack.
Images from the scene on Friday night showed an area outside the market awash with blue lights as dozens of first responders attended to the injured.
Video shows arrest of Magdeburg attack suspect
Who are the victims?
Five people have died in the attack, one of whom is a child.
More than 200 people have been injured and at least 41 are in a critical condition.
The toll had earlier been reported as two dead and 68 injured, but was revised to the much higher totals on Saturday morning.
None of the victims have been identified yet.
Reuters
Tributes have been left at a church by the scene
Who is the suspect?
German media has identified the suspect as Taleb A, a psychiatrist who lives in Bernburg, around 40km (25 miles) south of Magdeburg.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, but authorities have reported that they believe he carried out the attack alone.
Originally from Saudi Arabia, he arrived in Germany in 2006 and in 2016 was recognised as a refugee.
He ran a website that aimed to help other former Muslims flee persecution in their Gulf homelands.
Evidenced by social media posts, the suspect is an outspoken critic of Islam, and has promoted conspiracy theories regarding a plot to seek Islamic supremacy in Europe.
A report from Der Spiegel said a complaint was filed against Taleb A with the authorities a year ago over statements he made. Officials did not see any concrete threat, the report says.
What have officials said about the attack?
"The reports from Magdeburg raise the worst fears," the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said on social media platform X.
Magdeburg's city councillor for public order, Ronni Krug, said the Christmas market will stay closed and that "Christmas in Magdeburg is over", according to German public broadcaster MDR.
That sentiment was echoed on the market's website, which in the wake of the attack featured only a black screen with words of mourning, announcing that the market was over.
The Saudi government expressed "solidarity with the German people and the families of the victims", in a statement on X, and "affirmed its rejection of violence".
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was "horrified by the atrocious attack in Magdeburg", adding that his thoughts were with "the victims, their families and all those affected" in a post on X on Friday night.
Weather warnings for strong winds are set to come into force in parts of the UK on Saturday morning as millions of people take to the roads ahead of Christmas.
The Met Office says gusts could reach 50-60mph and disruption is expected on what motoring experts are predicting will the busiest weekend of motoring this year.
The yellow warning is in place from 07:00 GMT on Saturday to 21:00 GMT on Sunday for Scotland, North West and North East England, and parts of Wales and Northern Ireland.
The area covered by the warning widens on Sunday to take in South West England, Derbyshire, Hampshire, parts of the West Midlands and Yorkshire, and all of Wales and Northern Ireland.
Westerly winds are forecast to pick up over Saturday.
Forecasters say there was a small chance of gusts reaching 80mph in the far north of Scotland and Orkney and Shetland on Saturday afternoon and evening.
"Dangerous coastal conditions can be expected too, with large waves an additional hazard," the Met Office added.
Transport Scotland, said road, rail, air and ferry services are "all likely to be affected by the conditions" with cancellations and restrictions on bridges possible.
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: "With the weekend bringing a mix of strong winds along with heavy, and in some places wintry, showers, it's going to make many of the estimated seven million getaway trips by car a pretty exhausting experience."
When non-leisure traffic is taken into account, nearly 14 million drivers are expected to take to road during the weekend - a new record, according to the RAC.
The winds are expected to ease by Monday, but a white Christmas is looking unlikely with cloud and rain expected to move in.
"Crisp blue skies and snow on the ground" are "decidedly unlikely" over Christmas, the Met Office said.
Christmas Day itself "will be a fairly cloudy, nondescript day", Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Rebekah Hicks added.
Special access is allowed to the ancient Stonehenge monument during the solstice
The winter solstice sunrise was greeted by thousands of people at Stonehenge, with a focus on "renewal, rebirth and good vibes".
The ancient site opened its Monument Field at 07:45 GMT so crowds could see the sun break over the iconic stones.
Despite a windy Wiltshire morning, people followed the "spiritual draw of the area" to mark the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year.
From now on, the nights will slowly start to draw back again and the days will gradually become longer.
EPA
Hundreds of people came to the stones to mark the occasion
The sun rose at Stonehenge at approximately 08:09 to cheers and applause.
It is due to set at 16:02, meaning there will be little under eight hours of daylight.
Civil servant Chris Smith, 31, had come to Stonehenge for the first time.
"This is all about renewal, rebirth, we're entering into the new year, and it's also a good time to acknowledge what's taking place in the year that's been," he said.
"For me, I've gone through a bit of a tumultuous year, there's been lots that has taken place for me in the past 24 months, and this is an opportunity to consolidate everything that has taken place this year and bury that in the past and be able to move forward then into this next new year.
"There's such a vibe. I mean, if you look around, you've got everybody here, there's such an energy in the space.
"You can really feel it, like it's all good vibes. People are just here enjoying themselves, and that's kind of one of the draws of these sorts of events.
"We have got people here from all walks of life. This is the community. And I think in today's age, this is a really important thing to do."
EPA
Stonehenge won't see crowds like this again until June 21 2025
The stones, which are thought to have been placed there around 2,500 BC, line up with the Sun's movements during the two solstices, marking the changing of the seasons.
Usually, access for large crowds of people is prohibited, but English Heritage opens up the site for the summer and winter solstices.
English Heritage's Stonehenge director Steve Bax said: "It was fantastic to welcome around 4,500 people to Stonehenge this morning to celebrate winter solstice, and we were delighted that more than 100,000 people also watched live online from around the world.
"It was an enjoyable and peaceful celebration despite the sun not making an appearance and it was great to see so many families enjoying themselves around the monument."
Timelapse: Watch as crowds gather at Stonehenge to mark the winter solstice
In nearby Avebury, which is home to another ancient stone circle, two men wearing cloaks could be seen blowing horns as people gathered to watch the sunrise over the fields.
Near the stone circle there is a group of beech trees which people tie ribbons to.
This is a pagan tradition known as "wishing trees", done as prayers to the tree spirits or in the memory of loved ones.
PA Media
Glastonbury Tor also saw celebrations this morning
In Somerset, Glastonbury Tor also saw crowds of people climbing the hill earlier this morning to mark the sun rising.
The Tor is part of the ruins of the 15th Century St Michael's Church, and rises 518ft (158m) above the Somerset Levels to give a panoramic view of Wells, the Bristol Channel, Wiltshire, the Polden Hills and Exmoor.
It is regarded by some as a spiritual site just like Stonehenge.
At the top of the hill, a fire was lit and songs were sung by people gathered there.
Stonehenge has strong associations for people with spiritual beliefs
Reuters
Access to the stones is usually restricted by English Heritage
Gaie Delap was jailed for her part in a Just Stop Oil protest that blocked the M25
A 77-year-old environmental campaigner has been returned to jail after problems with an electronic tag to monitor her.
Gaie Delap, a retired teacher from Montpelier in Bristol, was sentenced to 20 months in jail for participating in a Just Stop Oil protest that blocked the M25 in November 2022.
She was released on 18 November on a home detention curfew, but a tag could not be fitted to her leg because of deep vein thrombosis, and it was too large for her wrist.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said if offenders could not be monitored in the community electronically, they would be returned to prison even if it was no fault of their own.
"We know this is cruel, and totally unnecessary. We know there are alternatives to the tag," her supporters said in a statement.
"Gaie is absolutely no threat to the community.
"This recall to prison is a ridiculous waste of resources and money, and will cost the taxpayer £12,000 to keep Gaie in prison.
"We cannot believe that there is not an electronic monitoring device that can be fitted at a fraction of the cost. We want common sense to prevail."
Ms Delap was arrested at 18:30 GMT on Friday and was taken to Eastwood Park Prison in Gloucestershire.
'Extra punishment'
Her case has been raised by the Bristol Central MP Carla Denyer, who wrote to the prisons minister Lord Timpson and the probation service.
"Why is she facing this extra punishment of being locked up, for longer than she was meant to be, and over Christmas?
"It's not because she's broken her bail conditions, it's because the private company responsible for fitting electronic tags couldn't find one the right size for her, and the authorities weren't willing to consider alternatives like daily check-ins at the police station," she wrote on X.
The MoJ said under the home scheme, offenders must be under an electronically monitored curfew for at least nine hours a day.
"Where it is no longer possible to electronically monitor offenders in the community, through no fault of their own, they will be recalled until it is possible for them to monitored in the community," the MoJ said.
The Israeli military says the projectile landed in a public park
A Houthi missile strike has injured more than a dozen people in Tel Aviv, Israel.
The Israeli military said attempts to shoot down a projectile launched from Yemen had been unsuccessful and it landed in a public park early on Saturday.
A Houthi military spokesman said the group hit a military target using a hypersonic ballistic missile.
The Houthis, an Iran-backed rebel group that controls north-western Yemen, began attacking Israel and international shipping shortly after the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, saying they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians.
Israel's military says about 400 missiles and drones have been launched at the country from Yemen since then, most of which have been shot down.
After the missile strike early on Saturday, Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's emergency medical service, said it treated 16 people who were "mildly injured" by glass shards from shattered windows in nearby buildings.
Another 14 people suffered minor injuries on their way to protected areas were also treated, it said.
Earlier this week, Israel conducted a series of strikes against what it said were Houthi military targets, hitting ports as well as energy infrastructure in the Yemeni capital Sanaa. Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported that nine people were killed in the port of Salif and the Ras Issa oil terminal.
The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks until the war in Gaza ends.
The Israeli military says the projectile landed in a public park
A Houthi missile strike has injured more than a dozen people in Tel Aviv, Israel.
The Israeli military said attempts to shoot down a projectile launched from Yemen had been unsuccessful and it landed in a public park early on Saturday.
A Houthi military spokesman said the group hit a military target using a hypersonic ballistic missile.
The Houthis, an Iran-backed rebel group that controls north-western Yemen, began attacking Israel and international shipping shortly after the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, saying they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians.
Israel's military says about 400 missiles and drones have been launched at the country from Yemen since then, most of which have been shot down.
After the missile strike early on Saturday, Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's emergency medical service, said it treated 16 people who were "mildly injured" by glass shards from shattered windows in nearby buildings.
Another 14 people suffered minor injuries on their way to protected areas were also treated, it said.
Earlier this week, Israel conducted a series of strikes against what it said were Houthi military targets, hitting ports as well as energy infrastructure in the Yemeni capital Sanaa. Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported that nine people were killed in the port of Salif and the Ras Issa oil terminal.
The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks until the war in Gaza ends.
Jeffrey Maddrey traded sexual favors for overtime, according to a report from The New York Post. He had previously been accused of harassment on the job.
Jeffrey Maddrey submitted his resignation and Commissioner Jessica Tisch accepted it Friday night, according to a statement from the Police Department.
On Friday evening, a man ploughed a car into a crowd of shoppers at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg.
The attack has left five people dead and more than 200 injured, with many in a critical condition.
One man has been arrested over the attack, and police believe he was solely responsible.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz travelled to Magdeburg on Saturday, and a city councillor declared Christmas over for the city.
How did the attack unfold?
Unverified footage on social media showed a black BMW travelling at high speeds through the pedestrian walkway between Christmas stalls.
Eyewitnesses described jumping out of the car's path, fleeing or hiding. One told the Reuters news agency that police were already at the venue and chased after the car before arresting the suspect.
Footage from verified sources showed armed police confronting and arresting a man who can be seen lying on the ground next to a stationary vehicle - a black BMW with significant damage to its front bumper.
BBC correspondent Damien McGuinness in Magdeburg reported that the market is "surrounded by concrete blocks". However, "there is a gap which is wide enough for pedestrians to go through, but tragically wide enough for a car to go into the Christmas market", he said.
City officials said around 100 police, medics and firefighters, as well as 50 rescue service personnel rushed to the scene in the aftermath of the attack.
Images from the scene on Friday night showed an area outside the market awash with blue lights as dozens of first responders attended to the injured.
Video shows arrest of Magdeburg attack suspect
Who are the victims?
Five people have died in the attack, one of whom is a child.
More than 200 people have been injured and at least 41 are in a critical condition.
The toll had earlier been reported as two dead and 68 injured, but was revised to the much higher totals on Saturday morning.
None of the victims have been identified yet.
Reuters
Tributes have been left at a church by the scene
Who is the suspect?
German media has identified the suspect as Taleb A, a psychiatrist who lives in Bernburg, around 40km (25 miles) south of Magdeburg.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, but authorities have reported that they believe he carried out the attack alone.
Originally from Saudi Arabia, he arrived in Germany in 2006 and in 2016 was recognised as a refugee.
He ran a website that aimed to help other former Muslims flee persecution in their Gulf homelands.
Evidenced by social media posts, the suspect is an outspoken critic of Islam, and has promoted conspiracy theories regarding a plot to seek Islamic supremacy in Europe.
A report from Der Spiegel said a complaint was filed against Taleb A with the authorities a year ago over statements he made. Officials did not see any concrete threat, the report says.
What have officials said about the attack?
"The reports from Magdeburg raise the worst fears," the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said on social media platform X.
Magdeburg's city councillor for public order, Ronni Krug, said the Christmas market will stay closed and that "Christmas in Magdeburg is over", according to German public broadcaster MDR.
That sentiment was echoed on the market's website, which in the wake of the attack featured only a black screen with words of mourning, announcing that the market was over.
The Saudi government expressed "solidarity with the German people and the families of the victims", in a statement on X, and "affirmed its rejection of violence".
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was "horrified by the atrocious attack in Magdeburg", adding that his thoughts were with "the victims, their families and all those affected" in a post on X on Friday night.
Wildlife TV presenter Chris Packham and former Green Party MP Caroline Lucas have quit as president and vice-president of the RSPCA after a campaign group alleged animal cruelty at some of the charity's approved list of abattoirs.
Animal Rising released footage from facilities as part of its investigation into the RSPCA's "Assured Scheme" which certifies farms, food producers and food retailers that meet its specific animal welfare standards.
In response, the RSPCA said it takes allegations of poor animal welfare "incredibly seriously".
The charity said it was "simply not true" that it had not taken urgent action, adding unannounced visits had been significantly increased, and use of bodyworn cameras and CCTV was also being explored.
In its most recent investigation, Animal Rising singled out four abattoirs where it said "experts found systemic animal cruelty".
It said its investigators had found that "in one slaughterhouse 85% of pigs were stunned incorrectly, leaving animals conscious during slaughter, and in another 96% of cows were prodded with an electric goad, a practice banned by the RSPCA, and 46% of cows showed clear signs of panic or escape behaviours.
"There was also frequent verbal and physical abuse from workers, and animals watching in terror and panic as other animals were killed or stunned in front of them."
In a statement posted on Animal Rising's website, Packham said he was prioritising his "love for animals above all else" and was stepping down immediately, following the "irrefutable evidence of abuse uncovered".
He accused the RSPCA of making "no meaningful change" after "years of raising concerns about salmon farming and tirelessly pushing for reform within the Assured Schemes".
"I believe the charity has lost sight of its mandate to protect all animals from cruelty and suffering," he added.
In a separate statement, Lucas said: "The recent horrific revelations of abuse at RSPCA-approved slaughterhouses, filmed undercover by Animal Rising, were the final straw for me.
"The systemic cruelty exposed was unbearable to witness.
"While the RSPCA's response was to suspend the implicated facilities and launch yet another investigation, they failed to confront the deeper flaws of the scheme itself.
"This approach not only fails to uphold their own standards but also risks misleading the public and legitimising cruelty."
In a statement, the RSPCA said: "We agree with Chris and Caroline on so many issues and have achieved so much together for animals but we differ on how best to address the incredibly complex and difficult issue of farmed animal welfare.
"We have discussed our work to drive up farmed animal welfare standards openly at length with them on many occasions and it is simply not true that we have not taken urgent action.
"We took allegations of poor welfare incredibly seriously, launching an independent review of 200 farms which concluded that it was 'operating effectively' to improve animal welfare.
"We are taking strong steps to improve oversight of welfare, implementing the recommendations in full including significantly increasing unannounced visits, and exploring technology such as bodyworn cameras and CCTV, supported by £2m of investment."
England 1966 World Cup squad member Eastham dies at 88
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Eastham played a big part in changing the British transfer system
Published
George Eastham, a member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad, has died aged 88.
The Blackpool-born forward made 19 international appearances and, while he was part of manager Sir Alf Ramsey's squad at the World Cup 58 years ago, he did not play as England won it for the only time in their history.
He was also an unused squad member at the 1962 World Cup and went on to make his England debut in an FA Centenary match against Brazil at Wembley in 1963. His last appearance was in 2-0 friendly win over Denmark before the 1966 World Cup.
Only the 11 players that started the final against West Germany in 1966 were initially awarded winners' medals but, following a campaign, Eastham and other squad members - and Ramsey - received medals in 2009.
The Football Association said it was "saddened" by Eastham's passing and "our condolences go to George's family and friends".
Eastham played for Newcastle United and Arsenal before joining Stoke for £35,000 shortly after the 1966 World Cup.
He played 194 times for the Potters and scored the winner for them in the 1972 League Cup final when they beat Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley.
Eastham was also involved in a 1963 court case, external which improved players' freedom to move between clubs in a major reforming of the British transfer market and he was awarded an OBE for his services to football in 1973.
He retired from playing in 1974 and then had a stint as Stoke manager from March 1977 to January 1978.
Stoke said, external they were "immensely saddened by the passing of club legend" Eastham and would wear black armbands for their game at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (12:30 GMT).
They also plan to pay tribute to Eastham at their home game against Leeds United on 26 December.
"Our thoughts are with George's family and friends at this difficult time," the club added.
Jamil Hassan, one of the most feared men in Bashar al-Assad's Syrian regime, wanted for the torture and killing of civilians, was shaking as he walked down the stairs of his apartment block.
Outside, the 72-year-old climbed into a car in a small convoy with his family and a handful of security guards, just a few suitcases between them.
His neighbour and her teenage son watched.
"I knew the moment I saw them flee that Assad had fallen," she says.
When we entered Hassan's apartment a few days later, signs of the family's hasty departure were everywhere.
In the fridge was a half-eaten carrot cake with a knife still on the plate. The beds were strewn with clothes and empty shoeboxes. Flowers wilted in a vase in the dining room, and cups and plates had been left to dry by the sink.
A framed photo of a smiling Hassan and Assad hung on the wall of the study, with text reading: "Our skies are for us and forbidden to others".
Signs of the family's hasty departure were everywhere
Hassan, referred to as "the butcher" by many civilians on his street, was one of Assad's most menacing enforcers. He led the Air Force Intelligence and oversaw a network of detention facilities including the notorious Mezzeh Prison, where detainees were routinely tortured.
He is one of many senior regime figures wanted or sanctioned around the world who have abandoned their homes in affluent areas of Damascus and vanished.
Finding these men who ruled Syria with an iron fist will be difficult. Some fear they will strike political deals abroad and evade justice.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which led the campaign to topple the regime, has vowed to search for them inside Syria. Rebels aligned with the group now occupy Hassan's apartment and a handwritten note on the front door warns people not to enter.
When we asked them where Hassan might have gone, one grinned and replied: "I don't know - to Hell."
'His guards threatened to kill my dog'
Many apartment shutters on Hassan's quiet street in central Damascus are now closed. Knocks on doors go unanswered.
Those who will speak tell us about their fear at living on a street with a wanted war criminal. "We were so afraid to talk," says the woman who watched him flee. "It was terrifying to live next to them."
Hassan is wanted in the US for "engaging in conspiracy to commit cruel and inhuman treatment of civilian detainees, including US citizens". He was convicted in absentia earlier this year in France for his role in imprisoning, disappearing and torturing two Syrian-French nationals. Germany wants him too. An Interpol Red Notice shows a photograph of Hassan alongside a note that he is wanted for "conspiracy to commit war crimes".
People on the street describe a formidable figure who was unapproachable and always surrounded by guards.
A makeshift security post outside Hassan's apartment building was constantly staffed by military personnel. The night before the regime collapsed, the men simply took off their uniforms and discarded their weapons, according to another neighbour.
"It was the first time I'd seen this post with no lights, no sounds, no noise," says 27-year-old Amr al-Bakri, a filmmaker who lives with his family in the building next door.
He said locals "knew what he did to the Syrians - outside of Damascus and in Damascus - so we know it but we can't say anything, just 'good morning sir'. He'd say nothing back."
Amr says his family had to give away their pet dog after Hassan's guards threatened to kill it if it didn't stop barking. When Amr's family asked for the guard post to be moved from outside their home, they were told they should move house instead, he says.
Hassan's home, pictured above, was routinely guarded by military personnel, civilians on the street say
A guard post outside of Hassan's building has been abandoned
The guards would run regular inspections on the street and check the bags of visitors.
"Sometimes if I had a plumber or handyman to come and fix something one of the guards would come and check if there was really something that needed to be fixed," says the woman living in Hassan's building.
Neighbours also say Hassan had a "golden line" for electricity that meant his family's lights were always on, while other homes in the neighbourhood were in darkness.
The electrician called to fix any problems at the apartment says he knew Hassan over many years "but only from a distance". "[Hassan] was very strict - a military personality," the man says. "He was a butcher… He had no mercy."
The man told BBC News he had been in prison - not at Mezzeh but elsewhere - and was tortured there.
A local shopkeeper, Mohammed Naoura, says he didn't like Hassan but that you had to appear to support him.
"We are happy now," he adds. "Nobody believed this would ever happen."
Guns on sofas and underground swimming pools
Hussam Luka, head of the General Security Directorate (GSD), was less well-known among residents but had an apartment underneath Hassan.
His "ruthless, smooth-talking nature" reportedly earned him the nickname "the spider" - and he's under sanctions in the EU, US and UK.
A UK sanctions list says he was "responsible for the torture of opponents in custody", while the US Treasury Department says he "reportedly committed a number of massacres" while working in Homs.
The White House has said he is one of a small group of officials who might have information about missing American journalist Austin Tice.
At his home on Monday, rebels were dismantling furniture to be put into storage. They said they arrived after looters had already taken many of the most expensive items.
Hussam Luka (left) and Assad
A photo of Luka and Assad remained, printed in different sizes and styles, alongside documents from security and intelligence events, and ceremonial medals and certificates from the foreign spy service in Russia - where the deposed Syrian leader Assad has fled.
"This award is to the coordinator of the mukhabarat [intelligence service] organ in the southern provinces of the Syrian Arab Republic," one certificate naming Luka says. "You showed the utmost professionalism and put in huge effort to fulfil the duties entrusted to you for the good of the Syrian people."
As rebels clear the apartment, a neighbour wanders in to see what's happening.
When asked what she knows about the regime official, she replies: "We keep to ourselves, they keep to themselves. No one in this building interacts with each other." She walks away.
In other affluent areas more homes have been abandoned. Fridges are fully stocked, wardrobes full and in some cases travel documents left behind.
The rebels who have taken over the homes are using them as bases, and say they are also preventing further looting.
At one lavish apartment, men say they are sleeping on blankets on marble floors beneath giant chandeliers and cooking on a camp stove in its modern kitchen. Guns are propped against plush sofas and arm chairs.
"We don't need any of this," a rebel says, gesticulating around the room.
At another, a child peaks through the curtain of a sprawling ground-floor apartment with an outdoor swimming pool. A large family say they are occupying the space.
Perhaps the grandest home in the area is the modern labyrinthine underground dwelling of one of the country's best-known businessmen - Khodr Taher Bin Ali, better known as Abu Ali Khodr.
Bin Ali has been sanctioned by the US, UK and EU for his role in supporting and benefiting from the Syrian regime.
His home has an elevator, a full-size gym, an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi and sauna, and an industrial kitchen.
Two golden safes designed to hold watches in the master bedroom
A family photo of Khodr Taher Bin Ali that was left in his house
In the master bedroom, there are two golden safes, with space for dozens of watches - in a drawer there is a forgotten warranty card for luxury brand Audemars Piguet. A gun case and jewellery boxes in the wardrobe are empty.
The children's ensuite bedrooms still have toys and a Louis Vuitton handbag on the floor and homework and school reports are in the cupboards. A Quran rests on a countertop with the words "A gift from the president Bashar al-Assad" inscribed on the side.
Around the corner from Bin Ali is the home of Ali Mamlouk, one of Assad's closest associates and among the most senior and notorious members of the regime. He was reportedly given the nickname "black box" because of his control over sensitive information.
He was sentenced alongside Hassan by French judges this year for war crimes, and is also wanted in Lebanon for two explosions in 2012 in the city of Tripoli that killed and wounded dozens.
Like Luka, the White House believes Mamlouk is one of few men who could have information about Tice.
His home is padlocked shut, and rebels are more reluctant to grant entry there.
In a guard booth outside, there are notes on visitors to the property before Assad's fall - people delivering chocolates, water and vegetables, and coming to fix the electricity.
"No one could see, no one could walk, no one could pass by this area. It's actually the first time I'm seeing this place from up close," says 17-year-old Mo Rasmi Taftaf, whose family own a house nearby.
"Whenever he came in or out, guards would cut the roads off," one neighbour says.
Rebels are now occupying the abandoned apartments
A gun placed on a chair at another of the apartments the BBC saw inside
Shouting down from a second-floor balcony, another gestures towards Mamlouk's large home when asked about the wanted regime figure.
"It felt like there was a strange atmosphere" on the street the night before news broke that Assad had fled, he says, without elaborating.
"His security was here at the time but I saw them leave on Sunday morning - a lot of cars. Ali Mamlouk wasn't here," he adds, before returning inside.
Another man, who declines to give his name, says he doesn't want to talk about the regime men.
"I just want to live in peace. I don't want to open this book or explore all of these crimes - there would be a lot of blood."
"While there is no confirmed information on the current whereabouts of senior regime figures like Jamil Hassan, Ali Mamlouk, and others, there are concerns that such individuals could benefit from political deals that enable them to evade justice," the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) tells the BBC.
"Some are likely to have sought refuge in allied countries, complicating future extradition efforts, while others may still be in Syria, living discreetly."
On Hassan's street, neighbours speculate about where the vanished war criminal has gone.
His family left few clues in the apartment. But in the office is a certificate for Hassan's daughter signed by Hassan Nasrallah, the late leader of Lebanon-based Shia militant group Hezbollah, thanking her for her "help and support for this honourable resistance".
Several neighbours suggest he may be hiding in Lebanon or has transited through there, while the local shopkeeper says he thinks Hassan headed for the coast, perhaps to Latakia in the north - the heartland of the minority Alawite sect to which Assad and many of his closest allies belong.
Hezbollah has not confirmed offering assistance to any regime figures, and the Lebanese government has said no Syrian officials targeted by international warrants were authorised to enter through legal crossings. Lebanese security services say Mamlouk is not in the country.
Syrian-British barrister Ibrahim Olabi says regime officials may have acquired new identities and passports, as they were powerful people backed by state institutions.
When it comes to getting justice, he adds, a lack of evidence is not the problem. It is more about finding them and getting them to a place where they can be held accountable.
The SCM says doing this will "require considerable resources, sustained political will, and international collaboration".
Failing to do so will send a "dangerous message that crimes, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, can go unpunished", it adds.
Ibrahim Olabi says he is hopeful that justice will be served.
"It will absolutely be a hunt," he says, but "the world now is a small place through social media, private investigators, political leverages".
Hassan's neighbours who were willing to talk say they hope he will one day be returned to Syria, far away from their street, to be punished.
Login
